Film processing tank



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Y May 23, 1939.

FILM PROCESSING TANK Filed July 16, 1938 May 23, 1939. A R FlNK 2,159,476

FILM PROCESSING TANK Filed July 1'6, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Lawrence R. F z'n/f 0.7i' ATTORNEY 'Patented rmy 423, 1939 FILM PROCESSING TANK Lawrence R. Fink. New York, N. Y., assignor to Fink-Roselieve Co. Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 16, 1938, Serial No. 219,548

10 Claims.

My invention relates to lm processing tanks;

I that is, receptacles in which exposed photographic roll film is placed for processing, as developing, fixing and washing.

It has been proven to be good practice to occasionally agitate the film during processing so that all surfaces of the film are contacted by the chemicals. Recent advances in devices used for this purpose comprise circular receptacles having a light-tight cover through an opening in which an agitator projects for engagement with the film-carrying reel. The present day nlm processing tanks, as a unit, comprise four parts; the tank body as one, the tank cover a second, the film supporting reel a third, and the agitator as a fourth. The agitator usually consists of a rod having a notched end which interfits with the reel. In my Patent No. 2,151,907, dated March 28, 1939, I have illustrated and described such a tank.

I'he main object of the present invention, however, is to reduce the number of parts in film processing tanks; by doing away with the agitator as a separate unit. The agitator rod is necessairly a fairly small piece of apparatus, and is ofttimes lost or mislaid. I have developed a tank in which I have been able to do away with the agitator as a separate piece of apparatus, while retaining the functions thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a film processing tank in which the cover is revolvable with respect to the receptacle portion of the tank.

A further object of my invention is to provide. in a illm processing tank, a cover for the receptacle portion thereof, which is freely revolvable with respect thereto and which can be locked thereon against accidental displacement.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a tank and cover therefor, which cover can be locked against dislodgement while the tank contents are poured out therefrom.

A still further object of my invention is to form a film processing tank comprising but two parts, the receptacle as one portion and the film supporting reel and cover as a second portion.

A still further object of my invention is to provide, in a film processing tank, a cover which has a film receiving groove formed therein in the underside thereof.

In my improved tank, the film supporting reel comprises a hollow core or hub, a disc formed thereon at right angles thereto as an integral part thereof, and a second disc with a core thereon, which cores cooperate and lock together to form a reel having a pair of opposed film receiving faces, into aligned helical grooves on which the film to be processed may be threaded. One of the fllm receiving faces is formed on the underside of the cover.

The chemicals used for processing film are usually expensive, and in order to reduce the volume of chemicals needed, the tank receptacles are made as shallow as is possible to take as little chemical as is consistant with suillcient nlm coverage. However, in order to avoid bubbles of air becoming imprisoned against the underside ofthe cover within the reel grooves, with attendant lm marring, it is necessary to provide means for allowing the' air to escape as the uid is poured into the receptacle. It is a further object of my invention, therefore, to provide, in a cover for a illm receptacle, means for permitting air to escape therefrom.

In the drawings annexed hereto and made a part hereof,

-Flgure 1 is a cross-sectional view, on the line I-I of Fig. 2, through a film developing tank constructed according to and embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a part top plan and part sectional view on the broken line 2-2 of Pig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the linel 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of a portion of the tank receptacle and cover; and

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2, illustrating the locking connection between the tank and cover.

Figure 6 is a view, similar to Fig. 1, of a modified form of tank, also constructed according to and embodying my invention; and

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 1-1 of Fig. 6.

In the modification of my invention villustrated in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, reference numeral I II indicates my improved tank generally, which comprises a circular receptacle I2, having a at circular bottom Il and a circular wall I6. Wall I6 is shouldered or extended outwardly and upwardly, as at I9, to dene an annular channel 2l about the top edge of the receptacle I2. Circular cover 22 is provided with a pair of concentric, downwardly depending flanges 24, 26 which define an annular channel 28 therebetween, which flanges are adapted to interilt loosely with walls I6, IB in such fashion that flange 26 is loosely received within wall channel 2li, and wall Il is loosely received within cover channel 28. This loose interiltting 'of the receptacle I2 and cover 22 results in a light-tight arrangement, while permitting cover 22 to be revolved freely with respect to the receptacle I2. I

Cover 22 has integrally formed therein a funnel 38, the tapered mouth 32 of which is raised with respect to the top of the cover. The outside of the raised portion is knurled as at 34, to provide a grip when it is desired to rotate the cover 22 with respect to receptacle I2. Funnel 38 is provided with a relatively long nozzle or shaft 36, which is of sufllcient length to project well into the interior of receptacle I2. The outside of nozzle 36 is polygonal in cross-section, as at 31. Shaft 36 is shown octagonal in shape in cross-section, but may equally well, for purposes of my invention, be square or of any other suitable shape. Its inner surface, as at 38, may be circular or polygonal, or of any shape that will permit free passage of liquid therethrough.

The film-supporting reel 48 comprises a pair of spaced apart circular discs, 42, 44, each of which has a hollow core 46, 48 formed thereon respectively, which cores extend outwardly at right angles to the plane of the discs, and are adapted to telescope one within the other tol provide an aligned relationship between the film receiving grooves 58, 58 on the opposing faces of discs 42, 44. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, core 48 which is formed as an integral part of the lower disk 44, is of such length and thickness as to fit within the core 46 which is formed as a part of the upper disc 42. A tongue 52 and groove 54 connection may be formed as desired, to align the respective film receiving grooves formed on the opposing faces of discs 42 and 44, and the cross-sectional shape of the outside of core 48, and the inside of core 46 may be circular or any other similar shape, to enable the cores to interflt freely and properly. 'I'he inside of core 48, however, must be similar in cross-section to nozzle or spout 36. As shown in Fig. 3, the inside of core 48 is octagonal in cross-section, and is so constructed as to receive shaft 36 therewithln. The inner dimensions of core 48 are slightly larger than the outer dimensions of shaft 36, so that when cover 22 is placed on the receptacle in the relationship of Fig. 1, shaft 36 projects down into the interior of core 48 and locks therein so that rotary actuation of cover 22 will be directly imparted to reel 48, which will rotate along with cover 22.

The manner in which I interflt the cover shaft 36 to the reel 48 is merely for illustrative purposes, and not for limitation, and various changes may be resorted to without departing from the scope of my invention; the basic feature of which is actuation of the reel directly from and with the cover of the receptacle. Various arrangements have been made to enable the liquid contents of a processing tank to be decanted, but with my arrangement, the cover is locked to the receptacle during the decanting process, and cannot accidentally be dislodged therefrom.

On diametrically opposite sides oi' the receptacle, a portion of wall I8 is cut away or otherwise removed from the top, as at 68, 68, to define Y a spout for the decanting of the liquid contents of the receptacle. On diametrically opposite sides of flange 26, portions 62, 62 are cut away or otherwise removed therefrom at the bottom, de-

fining a pair of openings through which the liquid within the receptacle may pass. The bottom of flange 26 is provided with a shoulder 64, which extends outwardly therefrom around the bottom edge of the ange, except at the cut-out regions 62, 62. On the inside of wall I8, on diametrically opposite sides of the receptacle I2 a pair of ears 66 are provided which extend horizontally of the wall and outwardly therefrom, and are of such length as to permit cover 22 to pass down thereover into channel 20 when arranged in such relation thereto that cover ycutouts 62, 62 are aligned with said ears. As seen in Fig. 2, ears or studs 66 are formed at right angles to the spouts 68. With shoulder 64 fitting below the level of ears or studs 66, a quarter turn in either direction will bring the respective parts into the position of Fig. 5, where the cover is locked on the receptacle. The same quarter turn will also serve to align cut-outs 62, 62 with the pouring lips 60, 68, so that tilting of the receptacle will allow the liquid within the tank to flow out therefrom.

With my arrangement it is unnecessary to provide clamps or to otherwise secure the cover onto the receptacle at any time and particularly during pouring. With the parts in the position of Fig. 5, the cover is secure against accidental dislodgement, and it is only when cover 22 is disposed with respect to the receptacle so that ears 66, 66 are aligned with cut-outs 62, 62, that the cover can be lifted off the receptacle.

Referring now to the modiiied form of my invention illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, the receptacle and cover 82 have the same interlocking, light-tight and pouring arrangement as described in relation to the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive. Instead, however, of forming the reel as a separate unit, I form a helical groove 84 on the underside of cover 82, the successive convolutions of which define a film receiving groove. Cover 82 has a downwardly depending hollow core 86 formed integrally therewith which telescopes with a core 88 formed as an integral p'art of a second disc 88 which completes the film holding reel. The cores 86 and 88 are interlocked together, with the discs fixed with their respective faces in aligned relationship in conventional manner, as described in detail in my co-pending application Serial No. 185,802.

Cover 82 has a funnel 92 formed thereon as an integral part thereof, and the hollow interior 93 of core 86 forms the nozzle or shaft of the funnel. Body portion 94 of cover 82 is of such dimension as to fit into and be received within receptacle 88. As shown in Fig. 6, the grooved lower side of the cover is countersunk below the top 86 of the wall of receptacle 88.

I have constructed this arrangement in order to provide a tank to use as little fluid as is possible consistent with complete lm coverage. In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, the reel discs 42 and 44 are provided with openings 43 which serve a double purpose; to permit the fluid to pass through, and to permit the air within the receptacle to pass out therethrough. However, the problem of eliminating the air necessarily trapped within the film grooves in the embodiment of Figs. 6 and "I, when the liquid is poured into the tank, is a very serious one since there can be no openings in cover 82 as in the discs of reel 48. Previous attempts to incorporate the film receiving member as a part of and on the underside of the cover have often been made, but have proven unsuccessful because of the failure to eliminate trapped air bubbles and the attendant defects and faults in the processed film. With my arrangement, I am enabled to remove all the air from within the tank.

I provide a number of radial grooves on the underside of the cover, extending from the core in the center to the periphery of the cover. Grooves 98 are graduated in depth, as seen in Fig. 6, and incline upwardly, increasing in depth from a minimum at the core to a maximum at the periphery. In operation, when the processing liquid is poured into the tank to a sufficiently high level, a certain amount-of air will inevitabiy be trapped within the convolutions of grooves 84. However, when the cover is agitated the air hubbles will pass into the inclined grooves 98 and flow therealong up out of the tank to a point above the level of the nlm, where any possibility of film damage therefrom is impossible.

In both modifications of my invention, the film is indicated by reference numeral |00.

Having now described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A film processing tank comprising a receptacle and a cover therefor having a light-tight engagement therewith, the cover being freely revolvable on the receptacle, the upper edge of the receptacle having an annular channel therein; the cover having a downwardly depending ange on the cover fitting loosely within the annular channel, a number of projecting studs on one of the chainnel walls, and an outwardly extending shoulder on said flange, fitting beneath said studs to secure the cover to the receptacle in said revolvable light-tight relationship 2. A film tank as in claim 1, in which the receptacle has a liquid pouring spout thereon and the depending flange has a fluid passageway therein, and the studs and shoulder arrangement operates when the spout and fiuid passageway are in communication to secure the cover to the receptacle during pouring of the receptacle contents.

3. A nlm processing tank comprising a circular receptacle, a circular lm supporting reel disposed within the receptacle, and a cover for said receptacle having a light-tight fit therewith, which cover is revolvable with respect to said receptacle, the film supporting reel having a hollow hub permitting passage of fluids therethough; the cover having a funnel in the center thereof the shaft of which funnel is elongated and slidably extends down into the hollow reel hub, and.

an engagement between the funnel extension and reel hub whereby the reel is revolvable with said. cover with respect to said receptacle.

4. A film tank as in claim 3, in which the interior of the reel hub is polygonal in cross secu tion and the exterior of the funnel extension is correspondingly polygonal in cross section; and the funnel extension is horizontally revolvable with said hub but vertically slidable with respect thereto.

5. A film processing tank comprising a .recep-n tacle, and a cover therefor making a lighttight fit therewith, said cover being revolvable on said receptacle, a funnel on and integral with said cover having an extension therefrom fitting `into the receptacle, a film supporting reel within said receptacle comprising a pair of opposed film. receiving faces, one of which is formed directly on as an integral part of the underside of the cover, and the other of which is secured to the funnel extension whereby the reel revolves with the cover on said receptacle.

6. A film processing tank as in claim 5, in which the opposed faces of the film supporting reel are provided with helical grooves, and the other of which faces has a telescoping connection with the funnel extension to secure same in the aligned and spaced apart position with respect to the face formed directly on and a part of the cover underside.

'1. A film processing tank comprising a circular receptacle, a cover therefor revolvabie with respect thereto, and a helical film receiving groove formed directly on and as an integral part of the underside of said cover, means for allowing air trapped in the grooves to escape therefrom.

8. A f ilm processing tank comprising a circular receptacle, a circular cover therefor revolvable with respect thereto, a helical film receiving grove formed on the underside of said cover, and means for allowing air trapped in the grooves to escape therefrom comprising a series of radial grooves also formed in the underside of said cover.

9. A device as in claim '7 in which the radial grooves intersect the convolutlons of the helical film receiving groove.

10. A film processing tank as in claim 7 in which the radial groves are inclined, and have a maximum depth at the periphery of the cover.

LAWRENCE R. FINK. 

